Marco Scutaro sits again for SF Giants, as Dodgers lie in San Francisco hotel beds

Remember that optimism a couple weeks back about Marco Scutaro playing more games than expected? It’s gone.

The Giants complete a seven-game trip today with a chance at their first four-game sweep in Philadelphia since 1998, and Scutaro will have started two of the games, Sunday in Miami and Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

If ever there was a time for Scutaro to start, it would be today. Day game after a night game with a left-hander, Cole Hamels, pitching for the home team. But Ehire Adrianza will be at second base.

Manager Bruce Bochy did not come out and say Scutaro’s back is hurting, but read between the lines.

“He’s playable,” Bochy said. “Could he go out there? Yes. Especially with a day game, we’re better off with a younger guy who doesn’t have any issues.”

This makes me think we’ll see Dan Uggla sooner than later. Uggla had an RBI single and a strikeout in four at-bats in his debut for Fresno at Albuquerque on Wednesday night.

Bochy did provide another positive report on Angel Pagan, saying the center fielder is swinging a bat in Arizona in soft-toss drills without any setback in his back. That remains a slog, though. He will miss his 32nd game today since going on the disabled list.

Tim Hudson seeks his ninth win coming off a victory in Miami.

Meanwhile, as the Giants try to take a 2 1/2-game lead in the West, the Dodgers are snug in their hotel rooms in San Francisco after flying overnight to get there. They have a day off.

We were just chatting with Jon Miller, who said that for certain big series perhaps baseball should ensure there are no travel disparities like this, with the Giants having to play today and fly home for six hours while the Dodgers dine in North Beach.

Baseball scheduling is complicated, particularly with rules that govern how many days in a row a team can play and the rest needed with East-West travel. It’s a nice thought, but there always will be disparities, and they don’t always reflect in the games once they’re played. We’ve seen a lot of tired teams win and rested teams lose.